Some 50 South Island-trained horses are set to compete at meetings at Alexandra Park during the next six weeks, starting with the Franklin Cup meeting on Friday night.
Top trainer Mark Purdon will send 12 horses north to join his northern stable, giving him a 20-strong team.
Ken Barron will bring eight horses north, headed by Franklin Cup contender Georgetown.
Robert Dunn will campaign a similar number.
Cran Dalgety will return north with Harness Jewels and Australasian Breeders' Crown winner Smiling Shard heading his four-strong team.
Kiwi Ingenuity has the group one Queen Of Hearts on December 18 on her agenda after contesting the Miracle Mile on Sunday.
"It is a group one and all going well in the Mile we will be at Alexandra Park," Robbie Holmes, her trainer, said.
Also returning from Australia for the carnival will be Dominion Handicap winner Springbank Richard.
He heads to Melbourne this week to contest two races at Melton over the next fortnight but will return for the National Trot on December 31.
The future of champion trotter Stig is in doubt after another injury.
The talented 7yr-old will not only miss the meeting at Alexandra Park next month but the Interdominions in Victoria in February.
Leeston trainer Paul Nairn said Stig was struggling again with soreness in the same hock which ended his last campaign.
Nairn will have it X-rayed again this week.
The concern for the trainer is the injury has flared up at a time when Stig has had no real pressure placed on him.
"He isn't even close to getting to the races at the moment and it is troubling him," Nairn said.
Former Rowe Cup winner Inspire is back in work.
She has been sidelined for 18 months with injury.
"She has a foal at foot, is back in work and we may look at the Rowe Cup," Nairn said.
- Michael Guerin
